There are 14 statewide propositions on California’s November 3, 2026 ballot. California Environmental Voters has taken a position on five of them: the measures that shape who gets a say in our democracy, who pays for pollution, and whether communities can protect their own air and water.
Here’s where we stand, and what each one does.
EnviroVoters positions on California ballot propositions
| Measure | What it does | Our position |
|---|---|---|
| Proposition 2 | Increases the state’s rainy day fund | YES |
| Proposition 4 | Allows public funding of election campaigns | YES |
| Proposition 39 | Requires government-issued ID to vote | NO |
| Proposition 43 | Raises the vote threshold for local funding measures | NO |
| Proposition 45 | Rolls back environmental review for certain projects | NO |
Proposition 2: Vote YES
Proposition 2 raises the limit on California’s rainy day fund, the savings account the state draws on when revenues fall short.
This matters for our air and water. When the budget shrinks, clean energy, wildfire prevention, and public health programs are usually the first things cut. A bigger reserve means those programs are more consistently funded, even if the economy gets worse.
A YES vote lets the state save more, protecting funding for climate and community programs.
Proposition 4: Vote YES
California law currently bans public funding of election campaigns. Proposition 4 would lift that ban and allow state and local governments to create public financing programs.
Money in politics directly affects how our leaders govern. Our 2025 California Environmental Scorecard found that Democratic legislators who don’t take oil money scored 89% on average. Democrats who do take oil money averaged only 66%.
Public financing won’t end big spending in politics, but it gives candidates a way to run for office that doesn’t depend on corporations, billionaires, or industry groups. It also makes small donations from everyday people count for more.
The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision opened the door to unlimited political spending, and one state measure won’t close it. But Proposition 4 gives Californians a way to push back against big money in politics, and puts a little more power in the hands of regular voters.
A YES vote allows public campaign financing programs that will reduce private money influence in politics.
Proposition 39: Vote NO
Proposition 39 would require every Californian to show government-issued identification in order to vote. Today, they use your signature to verify your identity.
Millions of eligible voters don’t have a current government ID, and the people least likely to have one are older voters, young voters, low-income voters, and voters of color. This measure adds a new barrier that makes it harder for Californians to vote in elections.
A NO vote keeps California’s current signature-based system and blocks this attempt to add new barriers to voting.
Proposition 43: Vote NO
Proposition 43 would require two-thirds voter approval for certain local taxes. Today, a simple majority is enough.
In practice, this means that when your community votes to fund clean drinking water, fire protection, parks, or transit, a minority of voters could block what the majority wants. Wealthy interests that oppose local funding only need to peel off a third of the vote.
A NO vote keeps majority rule for local funding measures, preventing wealthy interests from blocking funding for projects the majority of people want.
Proposition 45: Vote NO
Proposition 45 would roll back the California Environmental Quality Act, the law that requires harm to our air, water, and land to be disclosed and reduced before a large project is approved. It was written by the California Chamber of Commerce and financed by corporations that profit from building with less public oversight.
It would cut the time you get to comment on projects near your home, limit what judges can consider when communities go to court, and override other state environmental laws when they conflict. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates it could cost taxpayers $100 million or more every year.
EnviroVoters is one of more than 450 organizations opposing it.
A NO vote keeps California’s clean air and clean water protections in place.
The other nine measures
EnviroVoters has not taken a position on these at this time. They’re on your ballot, and the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has a plain-language summary of each.
| Measure | What it does |
|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | $11.25 billion in bonds for veterans and affordable housing |
| Proposition 3 | Makes the existing tax on high incomes permanent |
| Proposition 5 | Changes how recall elections for statewide officers work |
| Proposition 37 | Creates a home loan program for middle-income buyers |
| Proposition 38 | $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology medical research |
| Proposition 40 | One-time 5% tax on billionaires’ wealth |
| Proposition 41 | Requires audits of new special taxes |
| Proposition 42 | Blocks new state taxes on personal property |
| Proposition 44 | Requires health clinics to spend 90% of revenue on services |
How and when to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Ballots have already been mailed to every active registered California voter. You can return yours by mail, drop it at any official drop box, or bring it to a vote center. You can also vote in person.
Check your registration · Find your drop box or polling place
Take our cheat sheet with you
One page, every race and measure we’ve weighed in on. Keep it open while you fill out your ballot.
Download the 2026 Election Cheat Sheet (PDF) · Descarga la guía del votante (PDF)
You can also see every candidate we’ve endorsed, from governor down to local races.